Join us for a special evening edition of Social Saturdays this Saturday (25 May) for a night of meditation, board games, talks, workshops, and more.

A4 Space's Ramadan Majlis

Come hang out in A4 Space’s Majlis open from 9.30AM-11PM on Saturday, and play board games with your friends as Boardgame Space bring back our love for all games played face-to-face every Wednesday and Saturday evening.

Activation and Talk | One Above Prayer Mats

Time | 7-11PM

Location | A4 Space

Discover ethically sourced, beautifully designed prayer rugs from One Above's activation in A4 Space, incorporating Islamic art and translating it into contemporary design. Listen in on a talk by founder Seher Mir at 8.30PM who will speak about One Above’s creative process and commitment to giving back a portion of One Above's profits to selected educational initiatives from traditional education, to arts education and other meaningful learning ventures.

Fashion event | BLSSD

Time | 8-11PM

Location | Warehouse 33

Contemporary fashion and purpose driven label BLSSD is previewing their latest Resort 20 collection in The Mojo Gallery (Warehouse 33) where guests can request a made-to-measure service on all pre-ordered garments. BLSSD is a social enterprise set up to fund our support group Blessed (together) which is dedicated to providing emotional, educational, logistical and financial support to anyone whose life has been touched by cancer.

Workshop | Children's Monochrome Painting

Time | 11AM-12.30PM

Location | JPNF (Warehouse 45)

Children will first take part in a discussion on Tanger's paintings, learning to analyze and talk about art and its different elements. They will then create their own work inspired by the artist's techniques of layering paint to build textural and tactile surfaces.

This workshop is held in conjunction with JPNF's exhibition, The Monochrome Revisited.

​Workshop is suitable for children ages 6-12 years old. All material is provided by JPNFContribution AED150

Workshop | Bottle Cutting Workshop

Time | 1-3PM

Location | KAVE (Warehouse 20)

Did you know that a glass bottle takes 1 million years to decompose? It is the longest item in a landfill. Kave want you to come and learn how to convert your glass bottles into drinking glasses or lighting fixtures. It is meditation in its purest form and you will leave with something that is beautifully usable. All materials will be provided. Just bring yourself and energy!

Meditation Session | House of Pause

Time | 9-10PM

Location | Warehouse 90

In light of the Holy month, Ferina Natasya from House of Pause explores the meaning of ‘fast’ and ‘cleanse’, and examines how these practices contribute to our overall well-being. Natasya has curated a special three-part meditation series titled Root, Release, and Rise, which will guide participants through breathwork, visualisation and slowing down in order to achieve mental wellness. Participants may attend one session or more if they prefer.Free and open to all, however spaces are limited and registration is required. Email rsvp@alserkalavenue.ae to register.

All evening, you can explore our galleries’ exhibitions, get to know our community members and enjoy Iftar and Suhoor experiences, film screenings at cinemaakil, or grab a bite at Apetite, Mirzam Chocolate, Nightjar Coffee, Wild and The Moon, Project Chaiwala, Saj and Co, Techarc, Fill me Pho at KAVE and Tamashee.

Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue

A4 Space's Ramadan Majlis

Opening hours | from 9.30AM-10PM all week except for Fridays.

Come together with family and friends at A4 Space’s Ramadan majlis. Play board games, grab a bite, or find a space to pause and reflect throughout the month.

Cinema Akil and Project Chaiwala have transformed the cinema into a dining majlis, serving casual, family-style South Asian cuisine, and screening award-winning Arab films throughout the Holy month. Cinemajlis hosts games, talks, and performances. Iftar is served every night followed by film screenings at 9PM and 11PM on weekdays, and pre-iftar screenings on weekends. Visit www.cinemaakil.com for more info and for booking.

The cooks of Souk El Tayeb’s Kitchen, a.k.a. Tawlet, are back at INKED for a third consecutive year this Ramadan. Every other day, a different menu will be presented, all featuring a generous offering of authentic Lebanese favourites served in a buffet of mezzes and tabkhats, as well as a variety of desserts and beverages. The experience is priced at AED275/person and AED130 for children between 5-11 years old. Contact info@inked.ae or call +97150 845 1359 for more info and for bookings.

In light of the Holy month, Ferina Natasya from House of Pause explores the meaning of ‘fast’ and ‘cleanse’, and examines how these practices contribute to our overall well-being. Natasya has curated a special three-part meditation series titled Root, Release, and Rise, which will guide participants through breathwork, visualisation and slowing down in order to achieve mental wellness. Participants may attend one session or more if they prefer. Free and open to all, however spaces are limited and registration is required. Email rsvp@alserkalavenue.ae to register.

Put your game face on! Nothing reveals your true competitive side like a night of board games with friends. Every Wednesday night during Alserkal Lates, A4 Space will transform into a board games marathon with the help of Boardgame Space, a locally-based company that brings back our love for all games played face-to-face. Free and open to all. Email rsvp@alserkalavenue.ae to register.

Every Wednesday evening during Ramadan, Fashion Exclusive will open their showroom to the public for a Ramadan Fashion activation with exclusive pieces and special discounts on a variety of brands.

Take a Closer Look | Artworks in the Avenue 22, 29 May 20198.30-9.30PMMeeting point | A4 Space

Inspired by art historian Daniel Arasse’s book Take a Closer Look, Alserkal invites you to join in an analysis of artworks in the Avenue. As part of Alserkal Lates, join Kevin Jones in an open dialogue which focuses on two works per evening, offering participants the opportunity to consider, challenge, and discover layers of representation.

Fashion Activation | CODE by BLSSD

23, 24 & 25 May 2019

Contemporary fashion+purpose driven label BLSSD previews their latest Resort 20 collection during a 3-day pop-up in The Mojo Gallery. Fresh off the Arab Fashion Week runway, the ‘CODE’ collection is a carefully curated blend of distinctive silhouettes and urban sensibility creating an unexpected crossover of trendsetting street luxe. Artist and illustrator Hatty Pedder will create live drawing of guests.

On opening day (23 May), get your street style on with a live styling session by stylist, creative director and fashion entrepreneur Kristin Nystrom from 8.30PM.

Guests can request a made-to-measure service on all pre-ordered garments.

Join GPP for a photo walk exploring one of Dubai's most beloved and colourful neighbourhoods, Karama. Whether shooting on your mobile phone or your camera, you'll capture and experience a magical night as the streets awaken after iftar. AED 295/person. Visit www.gulfphotoplus.com for bookings.

Tatreez Workshop | The Third Line 8 May 8-10PM⁣ The Third Line | Warehouse 78/80

The Introduction to Tatreez workshop covers the history and cultural context of Palestinian embroidery prior to 1948 from various regions in Palestine and how it changes after 1948 in form and meaning. We will look at how different artists reinterpret tatreez today and after a demonstration on how to cross stitch, everyone attending will cross stitch a motif themselves. By the end of the workshop, those who attend leave with a new understanding of the meanings behind the motifs, the history and culture that they stem from, and a new skill that they can develop. AED 250/person⁣. RSVP to @thetatreezcircle or by phone on 050 8138599

Experience a special menu that combines the best of Ramadan’s traditions with a modern twist - all to be experienced amongst a collection of artworks by artist Driss Ouadahi. Known for his architectural paintings of real and imagined places, Ouadahi’s recent works have a more personal and spiritual approach. Contact Marguerite Elias on 0563124404 or m.elias@foodiebrands.com for more info and for bookings.

Swing by The Odd Piece for late night shopping and browse selections from fashion brands including Crown & Feather, Free Being, Aranaz, and more.

Exhibition Openings 15 May 2019 8-11PM Across Alserkal Avenue

A special edition of Alserkal Lates, during which Alserkal Avenue’s galleries host new exhibition openings. Indulge in a late night suhoor at one of the food concepts in the Avenue following your tour of the galleries.

Majlis Storytelling 22 May 20199PM -10PMMajlis | The Yard

Find a cosy spot and settle in for an evening of imaginative narration, performed by The Storytelling Company. For centuries, communities have come together through the tradition of oration to transport themselves into another time and place, and to consider the lives of folklore and legend. This Ramadan, we encourage you to become a part of the story, through an interactive storytelling evening in Alserkal Avenue.

Zero Waste TalkMAY 15th7PMKave | Warehouse 20

Come and meet like-minded people while I show you all the ways to become Zero Waste right here in the UAE ! Our facilitator will share all her tips and how it can be done: from taking your own containers for your meat, delis, spices, to introducing you to start ups that are part of the Zero Waste Collective.To register visit thestoryofthings.com/workshops

Principles of Al Qatt Art Workshop at Tamashee15 May 2019

10-11pm Tamashee | Warehouse 59

Learn the principles of Al Qatt Art, an old artform that consists of geometric shapes which adorned the inner walls of homes in Asir, a southern province of Saudi Arabia. Free and open to all, register here. For more info, email info@tamashee.com

As part of Mental Health Awareness month, thejamjar calls upon parents who wish to explore art therapy as a method through which to improve their well-being. The talk will be led by experts on the subject, including Sara Powell, Natalia Gomez, and Mariam El Halawani, all of whom hold Masters degrees in Art Psychotherapy or Art Therapy. The talk and following practice session are free and open to all parents, however registration is limited to 30 people. Click here to register.

TOUR | Altered Inheritances: Home is a Foreign Place with Saira Ansari 22 May 2019 8-9PM Ishara Art Foundation | Warehouse A3Writer Saira Ansari will build a narrative journey through the exhibition Altered Inheritances: Home is a Foreign Place. Through close observations and snippets of readings, she will touch upon fragmented histories of dislocation and belonging, and the eternal search for a ‘home’. Free and open to all.

Discover Aal Tamashee (the Tamashee tribe), a new section in the existing space which hosts brands that share the Gulf footwear brand’s values. The suhoor will offer a cultural tasting where Tamashee reintroduces ancestral flavours through Gelato ice cream, canapés, speciality coffee, and much more. Email info@tamashee.com for bookings.

At first glance, Susanna Tanger's paintings trick the eye. Tanger focuses on investigating texture, surface, line, and depth to discover new ways of making monochromes. In this workshop, children will take part in a discussion on Tanger's paintings, then create their own work inspired by the artist's techniques of layering paint to build textural and tactile surfaces. A contribution of AED150 is recommended. Suitable for children aged 6-12, all material is provided by JPNF. Email programs@jpnajarfoundation.com to RSVP.

Pecha Kucha | Food for Thought

Our next edition of PechaKucha needs a little more cooking time. Please note ‘Food for Thought’ is postponed until September. Stay tuned for updates!

For the latest edition of Pecha Kucha, Alserkal Avenue, in partnership with INKED, will play host to eight diverse speakers who aim to explore traditions and investigate practices that shape our experience of food in the UAE and beyond. From sustainability in farming, to the health benefits of fasting, join the conversation dedicated to foodies of all kinds. The event is free and open to the public, to RSVP email rsvp@alserkalavenue.ae to register.

SOUND.ON Streetwear Activation

29 May, 20198-11PMA4 Space

SOUND.ON Streetwear is a clothing line established by Syrian artist and designer Leen Nizameddin with the aim of spreading positivity and raising awareness about the social issues at hand through wearable art. Bring clothing from home, or purchase something new and engage with artists providing live customization onsite. For every garment sold, a share is donated to support a child in need through a partnership with UAE-based charity Emirates Red Crescent.

New Exhibition Openings

The Gloomiest Sunset in the World 15 May - 1 September 2019 Opening 15 May | 8-11PM Carbon 12 | Warehouse 37

Following a global refocus on classical portraiture, Iranian artist Amir Khojaesteh’s neo-expressionist work pays homage to tradition through fleshy satire. Zany, political, phantasmagoric, historic, and unavoidably relevant, his body of work engages multiple faculties and epochs, distorted just enough that the line between fantasy and reality leaves viewers in a delicately malevolent twilight zone.

Showcase celebrates the art of portraiture with the work of three talented painters who use different techniques to portray the human figure, capturing both their mood and expression, a moment in time. Featured artists include Iskra Sahaj, Olivia Pendergast, and Victor Sitali.

Shreyas Karle gleans on matters left unattended within the norms of contemporary art practices. His first international solo at Grey Noise, Dubai is an assortment of found/made objects, drawings, prints & video. A part of this exhibition showcases series of screen prints that explore both the desired result and the pleasant accidents, which lend themselves to his visual grammar. Karle’s practice focuses largely on identifying form that lies on the periphery of being an object and an artwork. He recognizes the absurdity in a thought, object or an action, translating it into the antithesis of itself.

Group Exhibition | I Will See it, When I Believe It 15 May - 30 July 2019 Opening 15 May | 8-11PM The Third Line | Warehouse 78/80

The exhibition will show works by artists Abbas Akhavan, Farhad Moshiri, Hayv Kahraman, Laleh Khorramian, Rana Begum, Slavs and Tatars, and Sophia Al Maria. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Or is it? Gestalt psychology suggests that in a split second our brain amalgamates the parts of an object or form, and sees a whole. In other words, it turns perception into knowledge. But what happens when the artist disrupts that split second and the transition from perceiving to knowing is stalled? The artists presented have all used the liminal state of perception as a means of questioning what is in fact, known. Each work selected possesses a form of dissonance between the expected and the real, enabling a dialogue between artwork and viewer born out of confusion and failure to see a whole at once.

The exhibition marks FN Designs’ 10 year Anniversary, celebrating the diverse art curated by the gallery over the decade and its impact on the art culture in the iconic city of Dubai. Inspired by Life; living by morals and ethics in a culturally diverse, globally influenced region, the artwork focuses on subjects that continue to challenge traditional boundaries. Aiming to provoke and thrill the senses of art collectors, the exhibition will showcase artists who have been contributing to FN Designs remarkable exhibitions over the course of ten years.